We can’t afford not to support our schools

I have the privilege of getting to talk to hundreds of you – the residents of our community through the Heart and Soul process currently going on. I have participated in Block Parties, led Community Conversations and conducted surveys at the fairs and expos we’ve had locally. DO YOU KNOW WHAT? You are pretty awesome. As individuals you are thoughtful, appreciative and switched-on to what it means to be a resident here in southwestern Colorado.

One of the overwhelming things that we, as citizens, love about our community is the recreation center and our park system. We have a recreation department worthy of a much larger town and we know it! This is a topic in almost every conversation. Do you know? Do you remember? It took us a lot of arguing and 3 attempts to pass a bond issue to create that Recreation Center which is a jewel in our parks system. Now we love it. I smile and write this because we do trip ourselves up sometimes, worrying about the immediate financial effects of actions that will benefit us in the long run.

We are at that crossroads again. There are immediate fears and angsts about a bond issue for our school(s) in the area. Well again, let me tell you, that YOU – the residents of the area – recognize the value of our education system. You angst about the impacts of a poor education system. You have told us this in hundreds of stories and interviews and conversations about our community. So put a value on our education and our youth. Vote yes for 3B and for 3C and the Mancos mill levy. These are efforts that benefit our youth today and our community for years to come. You have recognized that a poor education system – both the buildings and the education, affect us all in every aspect of our community and most especially our overall economy. We can’t afford not to support our schools with our hard earned money. It will show in the pride we can have for our community for years to come.